Let's Go, Ash!
by Briarson
Summary: It's every ten-year old's dream to get their starter Pokemon and go on an epic journey, but Ash Ketchum overslept and missed his deadline! Thankfully, Professor Oak still had a Pokemon left. The only problem? It's an incredibly surly Eevee who won't obey his commands. Will he be able to overcome this obstacle and be the very best? Tune in to find out!


Chapter 1- I Choose You... Eevee?

Delia Ketchum yawned loudly as she set down her book and rose from the recliner. Looking at the clock, she was shocked to learn that it was nearly eleven. "Oh dear," she muttered, setting a course for her bedroom. "Better get to bed if I wanna see him off tomorrow."

She flicked off the light switch and began walking up the stairs when she heard the faint sounds of a televised Pokemon battle and a ten-year-old boy confidently talking to himself. She shook her head with a wry smile before poking her head into Ash's room and putting on what she called the Serious Mom Face.

"Ash, get to bed!" she said sternly, interrupting her son's monologue. "It's eleven o'clock and you should be asleep!"

"But tomorrow I begin my Pokemon journey," he responded. "I can't sleep."

Delia nodded slightly, sympathetic to the child. After all, he was facing one of the biggest days of his life. "Well if you can't sleep, you should at least get ready for tomorrow. Here, watch this." She grabbed the remote and switched his television to the local Teachy TV Channel, which was doing a constant broadcast of Professor Oak's lecture for Pallet's beginning trainers.

As her former mentor's visage began talking about the starter Pokemon, the young mother shot one more stern look at the boy. "Go to bed when this is done."

"All right, I'm going." He responded dismissively.

"And change into your pajamas, okay?" She shut the door and made her way into the bedroom, where she followed her own advice and changed into a simple nightgown before crawling into bed.

She turned on her bedside table's lamp and pulled out a magazine that she couldn't quite get into. Her mind kept drifting back to Ash's looming departure and she couldn't focus on anything else. Of course she was excited for him, being a Pokemon trainer had been all he'd wanted to do ever since he'd learned what they were.

But there was also a unsettling emotion gnawing at her, a worrisome voice that sounded a lot like Ash's father. It had taken her a long while to recover from Lorenzo's disappearance, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it if Ash ever decided that he didn't want to be found either. She let herself fret for a few moments before shaking off the ridiculous notion. Ash was a child hungry for adventure, a far cry from a young man wanting to escape the life they had built in Pallet.

She looked at the clock radio and quietly swore at the glowing crimson letters which read 12:04. She sighed before reaching over to alter the alarm and make it an hour later than what it had originally been. Ash may still be a child, but he was grown enough to wake up for his own alarm clock and she knew he'd just get annoyed and say she was trying to baby him if she woke him up. And if she did sleep in, she could just jog down to the Professor's lab and meet him after he got the Pokemon.

Finally tired, Delia turned off the lamp and wrapped herself in covers before drifting to sleep. That night, she dreamt of grassy fields and shooting stars.

Ash, however, dreamt of Pokemon.

He had some experience with them, of course. But, the ones he'd be dealing with in the morning were relatively rare. When he thought of Bulbasaur, he thought of how highly recommended it was for beginners. For Charmander, he'd heard many experts saying that the difficulty in raising it would pay off in the long haul. Squirtle, however, had always held a special place in his heart.

His pleasant dreams were interrupted by an uncomfortable warmth. He cracked open his eyes to see hot sunlight streaming through the window and reached up to wipe sweat from his brow before his brain clicked and a sense of panic washed through him. Ash Ketchum bolted up, breathing heavily. "Oh no!" He shouted. "What time is it?"

Without stopping to think, he leapt from bed and jumped down the stairs two at a time before sprinting down the road to the Oak Lab. A crowd had formed around the base of the steps, strangely large for such a small town, but Ash paid no mind. He elbowed his way through before tripping over a young lady in a short skirt and crashing into a familiar face: Gary Oak.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" He shouted rudely before looking. "Oh hey, Ash. Better late than never I guess. At least you get the chance to see me." He sneered. "And from the looks of it, you're way behind from the start, since I've got a Pokemon and you don't!"

"Oh really, what'd you get?" Ash asked, genuinely interested. Gary may have taken on a snotty demeanor over the last few years, but they had still been friends at one time.

Gary, however, did not seem to share the lingering affection at all. "Ha, like I'd ever tell a loser like you!"

"Whatever, then." Ash muttered, pushing his way past the brat and walking up steps to the lab as Gary continued posturing for the crowd behind them. He tried not to get too upset, but it still hurt that Gary had turned on him in such a spiteful way, and for no apparent reason either. But before he could walk much farther, he was pulled from his musings by a much older man in a lab coat.

"So, you decided to show up after all," Professor Oak greeted the dark-haired boy.

"Oh," Ash started, turning his full attention to the man. "Professor, I'm so sorry about that! But now I'm here and I'm ready to get my Pokemon!"

The professor gave Ash a confused look and chuckled a bit. "It looks like you're more ready for bed than for Pokemon training." he said before beginning to make his way up the stairs with the boy in tow.

Ash's face grew several degrees hotter as he realized that he hadn't changed from his pajamas before rushing to the lab. "I-uh-yeah sorry about that, I got all messed up and I was running late this morning," he stammered. "But believe me, I am more than ready to be the very best trainer."

His voice held great conviction as he said the last sentence, and Professor Oak nodded sagely at the words as they made their way into the lab. "That is very comforting to hear. Unfortunately, there may be a slight problem with that." He gestured to a table with three small pedestals that Ash knew would have held the starter pokeballs.

Except that there were no pokeballs to be seen.

The would-be trainer's entire body drooped. "Does this mean there aren't any Pokemon left?" He asked, desolate.

Professor Oak closed his eyes. "The early bird does get the worm, or in this case the Pokemon. However, all is not lost." He pulled a red and white orb from his pocket that had been decorated with a silvery star-shaped sticker.

"Oh Professor, thank you so much I'll take it!" Ash jumped at the older man and gave him a fierce hug, but backed off a bit when he saw Oak's face.

"Now hold on just a moment, there might be a small problem. Starter Pokemon are raised from birth to be cooperative partners for inexperienced trainers. I actually caught this one in the wild to examine his unique skills, but I'm afraid that he's especially... temperamental. Here, I'll show you."

The professor squeezed the ball's halves together to trigger the release mechanism and let out a dazzling flash of red light that materialized in the form of a foxlike creature with smooth brown fur and a thick creamy collar. The Eevee shot the humans a disinterested look before turning around and beginning to attentively preen his tail.

"Well hi there, buddy!" Ash immediately went to pick up the creature, and although Professor Oak had reached to stop him, things had already been set in motion.

Eevee's fur stood on end as it jumped back and several rectangles of glowing red energy formed in a ring around its body and shot into the boy reaching for it. Ash was sent tumbling into the professor, sending them sprawling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. "That was a Trump Card attack," the older man muttered. "I caught Eevee to find out why it knows such an advanced move when it is a relatively inexperienced Pokemon itself, but it seems to just be a random quirk."

"For someone so little, he sure can pack a punch." Ash responded, pulling himself from the ground and brushing the dust from his pajamas.

Oak shot him a concerned look as he fished around his pockets. "Are you sure you're up to this? It won't be very easy and I can get you another starter ordered a month from now."

The eager boy shook his head. "No, I'm sure things will work out just fine, Eevee and me will be best buds before you know it!"

Eevee stuck its tongue out at the trainer, but Oak simply smiled and shook his head. "Very well. Now, if you're going to be setting out soon, you will need a Pokedex and some pokeballs." The scholar held out his hands and presented Ash with a shiny red device and several bicolored orbs, which the boy accepted with glee before grabbing Oak in a tight handshake.

"Thank you so much, again. I really appreciate all this, thank you so much!" He said enthusiastically before reaching over to pick up the brown Pokemon.

Professor Oak tensed and ducked just in time to avoid a Trump Card to the face, though the bookshelf behind him wasn't nearly so fortunate. Other than that outburst, however, Eevee seemed relatively resigned to letting his new trainer carry him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Oak ushered them out of the lab before the Pokemon could cause any more damage.

Another crowd had gathered at the foot of the stairs, this time consisting of Ash's neighbors, classmates and other people who had seen him grow into the intrepid boy getting ready to leave town. At the front of the crowd stood Delia, holding a backpack with supplies and gazing at her son with watery eyes.

"Oh Ash, I'm so proud of you." She said emotionally. "You're finally going out there to fulfill your dream of becoming a Pokemon trainer. But I-I'm gonna miss you so much." Tears began spilling onto her cheeks and she raised the backpack to her face to keep her son from seeing her sadness.

"Veee?" Eevee hopped from Ash's arms to nuzzle up against Delia's leg in a friendly way that suprised trainer and professor alike.

Delia stopped crying and knelt down to scratch the Pokemon's chin. "Oh, and you must be my baby's Pokemon. You take good care of him now, Okay?" Eevee's eyes closed as he purred.

"With Eevee by my side, I know we can take on any Pokemon in the world!" Ash exclaimed with a smile, closing his hand into a fist.

"Yeah, but aren't you gonna keep it in a Pokeball?" His mother asked.

"Oh, uh yeah." Ash fumbled for the ball for a second before holding it above the Pokemon's head and tossing it down. However, Eevee was ready, and used its tail to smack the ball right into the trainer's face.

Delia laughed heartily. "Oh, what a jokester, looks like you're already friends!" She picked up Eevee before kissing it on the forehead and placing the Pokemon atop her son's head and planting a kiss upon his cheek. "Now the both of you stay safe, but don't forget to have fun!" She gave Ash one last hug and helped him slip into the backpack before the crowd started cheering the boy as he left Pallet Town. He waved back at them, hoping not for glory at that very moment. Rather, he just hoped he could make them all proud.

Once they'd left his mother's line of sight, Eevee decided that it no longer had anybody to impress and hastily vacated Ash's head. However, he kept following the boy, even loitering when they found a particularly large bush behind which Ash could change into his travel clothes. They continued walking from there until the forest gave way to a bit of grassland, at which point they stopped for a short rest.

Ash looked at Eevee, who was sitting at their constant distance of ten feet apart. A little frustrated that the Pokemon was making no effort at all to bond, the boy finally blurted out, "So are you gonna be like this the whole way?"

Eevee turned its head indignantly.

"Is it because you don't like me?"

The Pokemon looked at Ash for a moment and then cocked its head in a distasteful manner.

"Well I like you a lot. And since you're the Pokemon I'm training, couldn't you just let me know what's wrong? Why don't you want to go into your pokeball?"

Eevee huffed and turned away to start grooming again.

Ash crossed his legs and thought for a moment. "Hmm, maybe the Pokedex would know." He pulled out the device quickly. "Hey Dexter, what's going on?"

The screen glowed to life with the image of a pokeball as a mechanical voice began to speak. "_Although most Pokemon stay inside their Pokeball while being trained, there are many exceptions as some Pokemon hate being confined._"

Ash sat quietly for a moment, trying to figure out how this information could help the situation. "Well," he said quietly. "You won't have to worry about that, then. If you don't wanna be confined, then I just won't put you in the ball! How's that?"

Eevee huffed and turned away from the boy, sitting squarely upon the ground.

"Still not good enough, huh." Ash mumbled.

A faint rustling diverted the duo's attention to a patch of grass a few feet away. A small avian Pokemon with brown feathers was studiously poking at the ground in search of food. Curious, Ash pointed his Pokedex at the creature to gain its data.

"_Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. If attacked, it will kick up sand to protect itself rather than fight back. Among all the flying-type Pokemon, it is one of the gentlest and easiest to capture; a perfect target for the beginning Pokemon trainer to test their Pokemon's skills._"

Ash snapped his Pokedex shut triumphantly. "This is great, looks like it's our lucky day! Eevee, go get it!"

"Vee," the boy's reluctant partner responded, sticking its nose in the air.

"Aren't you ever gonna listen to me?" The boy whined.

In response, Eevee silently walked over to a nearby tree and began scaling it. It shot a final imperious look at the trainer before setting into the fork of a low-hanging branch and letting out a dainty yawn.

Frustration boiled up in Ash's chest as he clenched his fists. "Fine, I get the message," he shouted angrily. "I don't want your help, or need it! I can get that thing all by myself!" He tore off his backpack and slammed it to the ground, turning around to face the Pidgey.

Grabbing an empty Pokeball from his belt and turning his baseball cap backwards, Ash decided to make a bold declaration. "I'm ready to take the next step to become the very best trainer, so enjoy your last moments of freedom, Pidgey." He expanded the ball and reached back his arm to prepare for the throw. "Pokeball, go!"

The Pokeball flew from his outstretched hand, spinning in a perfect arc before making contact with the tiny bird. The two halves instantly parted and the Pokemon began to dematerialize in a flash of red light before disappearing into the orb. Ash hollered with excitement, too caught up with joy to realize that the ball was still shaking as the Pidgey resisted. The Pokeball shook twice before exploding in a burst of white light as the Pidgey escaped and fled into the tall grass.

Ash groaned and fixed his baseball cap before turning to glare at Eevee, who was beside itself with laughter. "You know," he shouted "Most Pokemon partners would help to weaken up wild ones so they can be caught." Eevee blew a raspberry at the boy.

"Of course, though, I've gotta do everything myself!" He plopped onto the ground next to his bag, startling away a Rattata that had been sniffing around it. Things really weren't going the way he'd expected them to, but he knew that he could turn this around. If he could just manage to capture a more obedient Pokemon, he'd be able to move on with the journey and work out his relationship with Eevee along the way. If only there were some way to weaken the Pokemon on his own... Ash's focus shifted to a rock at the base of Eevee's tree and an idea clicked into place.

Ash grabbed the rock and began searching the grass until he found another Pidgey before taking aim. He let out a loud grunt as he pelted the pebble with all his might, but the Pokemon was not too keen on this course of action. Spotting the plan, Pidgey let loose a powerful Gust attack that redirected the rock back at its assailant. Ash managed to duck in time, and the bird used this distraction to flee.

A pained squawk brought his attention to a patch of grass past the tree, where another avian Pokemon was glaring at the boy. With red wings and a hooked beak, this Pokemon managed to look extremely menacing in spite of its small stature. Ash busted out the Pokedex to learn exactly what he was dealing with.

"_Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. Although inept at flying high, they can move very quickly to protect their territory. Known for having a foul temperament, Spearow will viciously attack any Pokemon or human who threatens it."_ As if on cue, the bird let out another angry cry and Ash noticed that the rock was laying at its feet.

"Oh no," the boy whispered as he began to slowly make his way toward the discarded backpack. Eevee had wandered down and stuck his head in to rummage through the trainer's belongings,so Ash figured that he would just scoop the both of them up and make a run for it.

But once again, his avian adversary had another plan. It had noticed the human paying attention to the Evolution Pokemon and began to fly towards it with vicious intent. Ash wouldn't have thought a common bird to be smart enough to discern their relationship, considering how distant Eevee was. Today had certainly been full of surprises.

"Eevee, watch out!" the trainer called as Spearow began its attack. Thankfully, the Pokemon heeded him this time and dodged the tiny bird at the last second. Instantly, the brown creature let out a war cry as several rectangles of red energy shot from its body and blasted the flying type out of the sky.

Spearow landed on the ground with a thud, though it only stayed there for a moment. The disheveled bird got back onto its feet and let out a furious squawk before lifting its wings to the air and becoming engulfed in a brilliant white light. It was evolving.

Ash and Eevee stopped in their tracks at the sight, completely transfixed. Ash had heard of it and even seen a few videos, but that was nothing compared to the real thing. The way that Spearow's form grew in size, the wings lengthened, the neck elongated... it was mesmerizing. Before long, it had grown into something more.

Unfortunately, just a few seconds after the light faded, the new Fearow fixed a murderous gaze on them and they realized that they should've used their head-start to flee instead of gawk.

Eevee instinctively fired another Trump Card and knocked Fearow to the ground before promptly booking it. Ash sprinted after the creature without hesitation, trusting his furry companion to find the best route. "Don't worry, Eevee. I'll protect you!" He shouted, just as Eevee found another burst of speed and overtook the trainer. "Wait, I said I'd prot-"

His words were cut short by a powerful Wing Attack to the back of the head as Fearow flew past. However, the boy didn't have much time to dwell on the injury, as the Beak Pokemon honed in on Eevee and delivered a vicious Drill Peck that knocked it out.

"Hey, leave it alone!" Ash shouted as he rushed forwrd and scooped up the fainted Pokemon. Fearow was barraging him with a Fury Attack, but he was more concerned with the tiny Pokemon in his arms. Ash ran through the nearby trees for cover, trying to block the blows as he went until they arrived at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Viridian River.

"Well, here we go." He muttered after a moment of hesitation, turning his cap backwards and diving into the steep water to avoid the feathery attacker. He let the current carry him until he passed a Gyarados that nearly scared him to death, at which point he decided it was time to go ashore.

He washed up a few paces away from a redheaded girl around his age, holding a fishing rod and sighing about how nothing was biting. When the girl spotted him, she rushed over with concern on her face. "Oh hey, are you two okay?"

Ash looked down at Eevee, who was breathing shallowly. "Me, yeah. This guy, not so much. Can you help us?

She shook her head sadly. "No, but there's a Pokemon Center not far from here. Over that way." She pointed northwards. "Go ahead and take my bike, you'll get there faster and I can just meet you there later."

A loud squawk sounded nearby and Ash jumped to his feet. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!" He ran to the bright orange bike and gently set Eevee in the basket before hopping on and beginning to pedal like his life depended on it. After all, his partner's life very well might.

As he made his way north, thunder began rumbling overhead as several storm clouds moved in. Rain quickly started pouring down and the dirt path began resisting the wheels to the point where walking would be faster. With a word that his mother would not approve of, Ash picked up Eevee and ditched the bike in the mud in favor of more running.

"Don't worry Eevee, we're almost there." He muttered to the semiconscious Pokemon as he cradled it against his chest. At that moment, a familiar squawk resounded close behind them as Fearow swooped down upon Ash. Surprised, the trainer fell over, splashing in mud and dropping Eevee nearly half a pace away.

He reached out a hand and touched the Pokemon's soaked cheek. "Eevee, this can't happen." Ash whispered, his voice nearly drowned out by the raging storm. He got to his knees and pulled his partner's Pokeball from his belt before presenting it to the creature. "Come on, get inside. I know you're afraid of being in there, but maybe if you're inside I can save you."

Both of them flinched as another cry came from the Beak Pokemon, who had flown high and seemed ready to deliver a finishing blow. Eevee looked at the human with a strange mixture of warm emotion, but he pushed the ball away with his paw.

Tears flowed down Ash's cheeks as he pushed the ball at the creature once more. "Please, please just listen to me and go inside," he choked back a sob. "After that... after that, just trust me!" He set the ball on the ground and forced his aching body to stand.

He glared at the hovering Pokemon with a fiery confidence as he stretched out his arms to block Eevee from sight. "Fearow, do you know who I am? I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm gonna be the best Pokemon trainer the world has ever seen. It's gonna take more than the likes of you to take me down, and I will never let you hurt my friend. Now, COME AND GET ME!"

Fearow charged with a mighty cry just as Eevee gathered the strength to leap onto Ash's shoulder and unleash a massive burst of scarlet energy. Blasted by the supercharged Trump Card, Fearow was thrown high into the sky just as a massive lightning bolt fell from the heavens. It made contact in a cataclysmic explosion and sent the furious bird crashing into the forest below.

Knocked back by the force of the attack, Ash and Eevee fell to the ground in exhaustion. With the danger gone and the storm seeming to settle down, both could finally rest easy. Pokemon nuzzled against trainer as Ash pulled Eevee into a friendly embrace and the duo briefly fell into sleep.

Some time later, the two awoke to dusky sunlight on their battered faces and a sky of wispy cirrus clouds. After a moment of watching the peaceful blue expanse, Ash began absentmindedly scratching his partner's chin. In response, Eevee began to purr and gave a tiny lick to his trainer's cheek, causing them both to giggle.

The sound of wingbeats made the both of them turn their attention back to the sky with a sense of deep panic at the thought of a vengeful Fearow. However, the truth was far more mysterious and beautiful.

High overhead, a massive bird flew gracefully by. Clad in golden feathers that somehow sparkled with prismatic energy, the bird seemed to turn its gaze upon the duo for a split second before continuing its flight. As it left, a rainbow formed in its wake.

Ash and Eevee looked at each other once more with wide eyes. "I don't know what kind of Pokemon that was," he said quietly. "But I'm pretty sure that was a good sign. What do you think?"

The Pokemon nodded enthusiastically. "Vee!"

Ash picked up Eevee and began the trek to Viridian City. His partner was pretty battered, but Ash knew that it would be fine once they got some good rest. Despite the slow start, he knew that Eevee would make an amazing partner.

He also knew that an amazing adventure awaited them both.


End file.
